Geranium plant named Fisblifire

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisblifire’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of brilliant red, single-type flowers, floriferous with large umbels, vigorous growth, well-branched plant habit and early flowering response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofgeranium, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisblifire’.

[0002] ‘Fisblifire’ is a product of a planned breeding program which hadthe objective of creating new ivy geranium cultivars with single-typeflowers, relatively vigorous, but well-branched growth habit, andvarious flower colors.

[0003] ‘Fisblifire’ was originated from a hybridization made by theinventor Angelika Utecht in a controlled breeding program in Galdar,Gran Canaria, Spain, in 1996. The female parent is an unpatented hybridseedling, no. K95-823-9, having orange-red, single-type flowers, zonedfoliage, and moderately vigorous growth.

[0004] The male parent of ‘Fisblifire’ was the unpatented hybridseedling no. 195-305-1, which was derived from self-pollinating theunpatented variety ‘Denise Huber’. ‘Denise Huber’ is characterized byred, semi-double flowers, medium-green foliage with strong zonation, andvigorous growth, but not very well branched growth habit. The seedlingthereof had orange-red, semi-double flowers and more compact planthabit.

[0005] ‘Fisblifire’ was selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1997, in a controlledenvironment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain. The first act of asexualreproduction of ‘Fisblifire’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttingswere taken from the initial selection in the fall of 1997 in acontrolled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under thesupervision of, Angelika Utecht.

[0006] Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of theplant initiated in May 1998 in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany,and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisblifire’ are firmly fixedand are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

[0007] ‘Fisblifire’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength. The following observations, measurements, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, BritishColumbia, Canada, under greenhouse conditions which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisblifire’ in combinationdistinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0009] 1. brilliant red, single-type flowers;

[0010] 2. large and floriferous inflorescences,

[0011] 3. medium-green foliage with distinct zonation;

[0012] 4. fairly vigorous growth, long-trailing, but well-branched planthabit; and

[0013] 5. early spring flowering response.

[0014] Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor,the most similar in comparison to ‘Fisblifire’ is the patented variety‘Fizzard’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,992). In comparison to ‘Fizzard’,‘Fisblifire’ has an almost similar flower color with a trace of anorange-red hue, differently shaped leaves, and wider and somewhatstronger zonation on its leaves. The plant habit of ‘Fisbilfire’ isalmost as long trailing, but internodes are shorter, and it has a highernumber of branches (by about 25%) resulting in a more bushy and uniform,less open, plant habit. Spring flowering response of ‘Fisblifire’ isearly, but not as early as the extremely early spring flowering responseof ‘Fizzard’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisblifire’ with colors being as true aspossible with an illustration of this type. The drawing shows a branchend with leaves, buds and inflorescences.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the following description color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The color values weredetermined indoors from flowers developed in a green-house in May 2001,in Hillscheid, Germany. The measurements were taken in Langley, BritishColumbia, Canada (unless stated otherwise), in early July, 2001, 18weeks after planting of rooted cuttings. The plants were grown in 8 inchcontainers and had not been pinched.

[0017] Classification:

[0018]Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium peltatum L'Hérit

[0019] Inflorescence:

[0020]Type.—Umbel.

[0021]Shape.—Roughly semi-spherical.

[0022]Average diameter.—121 mm.

[0023]Average depth.—65 mm.

[0024]Peduncle length.—189 mm.

[0025]Peduncle color.—Light green, RHS 143 C, outdoors a slight tinge ofbrown may occur (RHS 179 B).

[0026]Pedicel length.—27 mm with spur.

[0027]Pedicel color.—Green, RHS 143 B, infused with brown, RHS 179 A.

[0028]Number of flowers per umbel.—About 12-14 (relatively many for anivy cultivar).

[0029] Corolla:

[0030]Average diameter.—50 mm.

[0031]Form.—Single.

[0032]Shape.—Round outline, with the upper petals about the same size asthe lower petals, petals not overlapping.

[0033]Number of petals.—5.

[0034]Number of petaloids.—None.

[0035]Shape of petals.—Obovate, base acute, upper end is truncate orrounded, margin is entire.

[0036]Size of petals Upper petals are 29-30 mm long, 17-18 mm wide;lower petals are 26.27 mm long, 18-19 mm wide.

[0037]Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).—Brilliant red.

[0038]Color of upper petals.—Main part RHS 44 A to 45 B, bluish overtonenear base RHS 74 C.

[0039]Markings of upper petals.—Two dark purple veins, RHS 187 B.

[0040]Color of lower petals.—Between RHS 44 A and RHS 45 B.

[0041]Markings of lower petals.—None.

[0042]Color of lower surface of petals.—Between RHS 46 C to 44 B.

[0043]Color of sepals.—Outer surface light green, RHS 144 A; innersurface light green, RHS 144 B.

[0044]Number of sepals.—5.

[0045]Shape of sepals.—Linear to lanceolate, acute tip, truncate base,surface with moderate pubescence, margin entire.

[0046]Size of sepals.—12-14 mm long, 4 mm wide for the largest uppersepal, 2-3 mm in width for the other sepals.

[0047] Bud (just before petals unfold):

[0048]Shape.—Narrow elliptical to somewhat asymmetrical.

[0049]Color of sepals.—Light green, RHS 143 C.

[0050]Color of petals.—Red RHS 45 B.

[0051]Length.—16-17 mm.

[0052]Width.—6-7 mm.

[0053] Reproductive organs:

[0054]Androecium.—7 fertile anthers, plenty of pollen production,yellow-orange, RHS 26 A, lower side of anthers blackish, RHS 187 A,filaments white, RHS 155 D, to light-pink, RHS 52 D.

[0055]Gynoecium.—One pistil, whitish style, RHS 155 D to 65 D, stigma5-6-lobed stigma, dark-red, RHS 53 A.

[0056]Fertility/seed set.—Moderate seed set, mainly in late summer tofall; seed: oblong, 4-5 mm long, brown, RHS 177 B.

[0057]Fruit.—Oblong, about 6 mm wide, rostrum (beak) 38-42 mm long.

[0058]Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000plants had on average 0.9 flowers open 12 weeks after planting of rootedcuttings (early for pinched plants).

[0059]Outdoor flower production.—Continuous and rich flowering, theflower count in 2000 in Hillscheid, Germany, indicated about 6-7inflorescence per plant in mid May.

[0060]Durability.—Good stability of flower color, good rain resistance.

[0061]Lastingness of the individual flower.—About 7-8 days at 18° C.,about 15 days for the umbel.

[0062]Fragrance.—None.

[0063] Plant Foliage:

[0064]Shape.—Ivy-shaped, with cordate base, with the gap between thelowest lobes mostly closed, apex rounded with moderate lobes, marginmostly entire, occasionally single, weak notches near the tips of lobes.

[0065]Texture.—Upper surface smooth, glossy.

[0066]Size of leaf.—83 mm wide, 51 mm long.

[0067]Color.—Upper surface: Medium green, approximately RHS 137 CZonation: Brown, about RHS 166 A Lower surface: Green, RHS 137 D

[0068]Petioles.—35 - 45 mm long, 3 - 3.5 mm diameter, light green incolor, approximately RHS 143 C.

[0069] General appearance and form:

[0070]Stem color.—Green, RHS 143 A to 143 B.

[0071]Internode length.—30-50 mm.

[0072]Branching pattern.—10.2 branches.

[0073]Length of plants.—51.4 cm (18-week-old plants, as described) 85-90cm (about 35- week-old plants) measured from the top of the soil (baseof the main stem) to the tips of the branches (measured withoutinflorescence).

[0074]Pest/Disease Resistance/Susceptibility.—No observations to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named‘fisblifire’, as described and illustrated herein: